Link cuff button and link unit therefor



V. SLATERAND G. B. GUTHRIE. LINK CUFF BUTTON AND LINK UNIT THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR- I 3, 1922- Patented Nov. 211, 1922 Patented Nov.21, 1922.

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VERN SLATER, OF CHICAGO, AND GEORGE B. GUTHRIE, OF LOCKPORT, ILLINOIS;SAID GUTHRIE ASSIGNOR TO SAID SLATER.

LINK CUFF BUTTON AND LINK UNIT THEREFOR.

Application filed April 13. 1922. Serial No. 552,098.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, VERN SLATER and GEORGE B. GUTHRIE, both citizens ofthe United States, and residents, respectively, of Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, and of Lockport, in the county ofWill and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Link C'uff Buttons and Link Units Therefor, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in link cuff buttons and moreparticularly embodies a uniquely constructed and finished link unittherefor, formed of a novelly associated combination of elements, whichsaid link unit may as a bodily whole or as a unitary device be facilelyattached to and detached from button heads of the same or varyingdesigns if so desired.

With the ordinary rigidly fixed and nonextensible cross-bars for suchtypes of cuff buttons, not only is it sometimes extremely annoying andquite difiicult to attach the buttons, especially to highly starchedcuffs, without soiling the cuffs with unsightly spots or withoutwrinkling them with a buckling-like bending at their corners, but alsoit is frequently impossible for the wearer to remove from his body theshirt, to which the cuffs are attached, without first detaching at leastone of the button heads from the cuff, as the cuff will not slip overthe hand if it is dimensioned for fairly snug fitting,

Analogously, it is impossible for the wearer to pull up his shirtsleeves beyond a very limited distance, if the button heads are in theirattached positions at both edges of the cuff, but the wearer frequentlydesires to so pull up his sleeves, to position his cuffs well up beyondthe hands and wrists and to comfortably maintain them so held u undervarying conditions such as when wor ing, playing various sporting games,washing-up or otherwise, both to prevent the cuffs from becoming undulysoiled as well as to hold them out of the way for the sake of freedom ofmotion and general comfort under such conditions.

As-commonly practised therefore, the general custom has been to simplyunfasten or detach one head of the link button from its complementarycuff corner and to fold or turn the cuff back and over several timesalong the sleeve. This is manifestly undesirable, as it not only causesthe formation of a bulky and uncomfortable roll, either immediatelyabove or below the elbow, but also it not infrequently results in thedislodgment and loss of the cuff button which is held dangling from onebutton head only.

In avoidance of this general custom, it has even heretofore beenproposed, however, and patents have doubtless been granted along suchlines, to provide link cuff buttons with extensible cross-bars in thenature of tubular shanks attached at one end to a button head andtelescoping at their other ends, which short shanks may be associatedunder resiliently retractile tension, as by means of an ordinaryelongated helicoidal spring or analogous elastic element extending alongtherein, but the pair of short tubular shanks conjointly provide theshank or cross-bar proper of the button, and being of a sliding ortelescoping character they must be straight and not of the curvedformation desired for link buttons. Furthermore, it is manifest that inorder to telescope and contain a retractile spring inside, these tubularshanks would have to be of comparatively large diameter, they would haveno freedom of movement other than in a longitudinal direction, and theyare wholly impractical from a commercial viewpoint, as the linkconnection must be of comparatively small dimension in cross-section,whereas the structures just described are too bulky and cumbersome.

The primary aim of our invention has been to devise a link cuff button,or more particularly a link or shank unit therefor, wherein theextensible and retractile means are both combined as one and the sameelement which is also the shank itself, comprising a one'piece and theonly open-ended tubular member of the unit, consisting of a laterallyunimpeded. coil spring that houses a flexible extension limiting means,the ends of which latter preferably provide for interlocking meansbetween the spring ends and capping elements therefor.

Other aims of our improvements are to provide such a shank unit as anassembled whole, which is light in weight and of compa-ratively minimumcross-sectional dimension, simple and compact in structural assembly,comparatively inexpensive to manu facture and market, substantiallyeffective and durable in use, and which may if desired be facilelyattached to and detached from button heads of varying designs.

The foregoing as well 'as other "objects and advantages, however,willfloe more clearly apparent as incidental to the followingdisclosure, and with these pre fa'ci'n'g remarks, therefore, referencewilln'ow be im'n'iediately had to the accompanying drawing illustratingcertainpractical"embodimehts of the improvements, in which drawings allof the views are illustratedonan exceedingly large scale, of which-Figure l is a plan viewof the link or shank unit in contracted position;Figure '2 is an analogous view thereof as distended; Figure 3 is alongitudinal sectional view thereof as distended and'attached'tosuitable cuff button heads; 'Figurea'is'acrossasectional view on theline of Fig. '3, but only showing two of the spring coils for clearnessof "illustration; and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line ofFig. 3.

The numeral 10 designates a pair of end finishing caps which may mountattaching loops 11in any suitable way,but these at taching loops 11 arepreferablythe'terminal links of a light chain 12, although they might beother equivalent "elements, the heads of the caps 10 being slightlyapertured to permit of the projection of the elements I 11 therethrough.Obviously, however, if some form of flexible ine'rtte'nsible springrestraining means he'employed, other than the exact chain 12,then'tlieseattaching elements 11 couldb'e loops'o'reyelets'secured tothe 'ends'of such ineritensiblenieans.

Although, as to some features at'least of the present improvements,ourinvention is not intended to be limited tothe use of the exact formof (:oiledspring illustratedas the resiliently retractile shank of thebutton before referred to, howevenowing tothe spring being necessarily alight one, we at present find it more 'expedientto employ a particulartype ofspring that uniquely coiled, with a self b'racing or reenforcingef feet as it were against undue torsi-onal strains, and which will not,therefore, "have a tendency'to "unwind, as wain "a light spring of exactcircular convolutions, or become buckled or otherwise distorted, whichwould thus not only cause the spreading and weakening of the springshank but would also displace the button heads out of line with atwisted and unsightly appearance.

e accordingly prefer to use a spring 13 the coils of which, instead ofbeing circular, provide a plurality of angularly bent arms formingapices or corner angles therebetween that are disposed in stepped spiralrelation relatively to each other and the arms they oppose. The endcoils of this spring are indicat'edat'lt and at their extremitiesprovide the inwardly bent or radial terminal arms or ends 15, forfunctioning as hereinafter described. I

In the drawings, the coilso'f the spring are illustrated as ofpent-agonal'form, although they obviously may hein the form of squares,triangles or of other polygonal shapes, and, although at Fig. 4' onlytwo such coils are shown, to avoid undue crowding'o'f the view, itwillbe clearlyunderstood that the apic'es, generally indicated by thenumeral 18, are disposed in stepped spiral relation relatively to theanalogous apices, as for instance 16 and 17, and the armstherebetweenwhich they oppose thus providinga. bracing, trussing or'reinforcing'series of angular corners disposed spirally around the bodyof the spring, which likewise "form a corresponding spiral depression 19of unaplj'reciable depth. I p In assembling these parts as a link orshank unit forlink cuff buttons, the spring 13 is caused to contain orencompass the chain 12 with the radial terminal arms 15 of thespringpassing through the end links 11 of the chain. The end finishing caps 10are thenfitted overthe spring ends with the terminal links 11 projectedthrough the head apertures in the caps, and the projectingportionsof'theend links may then be slightly spread to prevent their returnthrough said apertures. Thus it willbeob servedthat the complementarychain ends, the spring ends and their finishing caps are securelyanchored together, and the shankas aunit'maybe attached to and detachedfrom any suitably formed link button heads.

At Figures 3 and 5, we have shown the link or'shank' unit in associationwith a pair of button heads to provide a coin'plet'elink cuff but-ton,wl' erei-n 20 designates the'button heads and 21 indicatesa fasteningmember secured to the inside face of each button head. which. fasteningmembers may have central depressions for receiving the end links 11, andone end of which may be left unfa'sten'ed for slipping an :end linkthe'reover. This, however, isv merely illust r'a tive and forms noparticular featureof the invention in itself. r v

From-e11 of the foregoing, it is believed that the great utility andfull advantagesottsaid spring, and capping members for hous this novellittle article of manufacture will be clearly apparent, but while .wehave thus fully set forth the improvements it will be understood that wedo not wish to unnecessarily restrict ourselves to all of the detailsexactly as disclosed, excepting as they may come Within the terms of theensuing claims, or an equivalent combination of elements, or after afair interpretation thereof in the light of the specification ifnecessary, as it is obvious that some minor alterations might be madeWithout departing from the gist of the invention.

What We do claim, as new and patentable, 1s:-

1. A shank unit for link cufl buttons embodying an elongated coilspring, an inextensible flexible spring restrainingelement extendinglongitudinally therein and of greater length than said spring, andcapping means for housing the ends of said spring, the said elementspro'iding means for conjointly anchoring the complementary ends of saidflexible element and said spring and their capping members.

2. A shank unit for link cufl? buttons embodying an elongated coilspring, an inextensible flexible spring restraining element extendinglongitudinally therein and oil greater length than said spring, andcapping means for housing the ends of said spring, the said elementsproviding means for con jointly anchoring the complementary ends of saidflexible element and said spring and their capping members, with theextremities of said flexible element projecting through and outwardlybeyond said capping members.

3. A shank unit for link cufl' buttons embodying an elongated coilspring and an inextensible flexible spring restraining ele mentextending longitudinally therein and of greater length than said spring,the said flexible element providing end loops and the said springproviding radial terminals projeoting through said end loops, foranchoring the complementary ends oi said flexible element and saidspring.

4. A shank unit for link cufl' buttons embodying an elongated coilspring, a spi'. 7 extension limiting chain extending longitudinallytherein and of greater length than said spring, and capping means forhousing the ends of said spring, the said elements providin means forconjointly anchoring the comp ementary ends of said chain and saidspring and their capping members, with the extremities of said chainprotruding through and outwardly beyond said capping members.

5. A shank unit for link cult buttons embodying an elongated coilspring, a spring extension limiting chain extending longitudinallytherein and of greater length than ing the ends of: said spring, thesaid spring providing radial terminals projecting through the and linksof said chain, for conjointly anchoring the complementary ends of saidchain and said spring and their capping members, with the extremities ofsaid chain protruding through and outwardly beyond said capping members.

6. A shank unit for link cull" buttons embodying an elongated coilspring, an inex tensible flexible spring restraining element extendinglongitudinally therein and of greater length than said spring, and meansfor conjointly anchoring the complementary ends of said flexible elementand spring, the said spring being formed of coils having a plurality ofangnlarly bent arms providing apices which are disposed in stepped relation spirally of the spring body.

7. A shank unit for link cufl' buttons embodying an elongated coilspring, an inextensible flexible spring restraining element extendinglongitudinally therein and of greater length than said spring, andcapping members for housing the ends of said spring, the said elementsproviding means for conjointly anchoring the complementary ends of saidflexible element and said spring and their capping members, and the saidspring being formed of coils having a plurality of angularly bent armsproviding apices which are disposed in stepped relation spirally or" thespring body.

8. A shank unitior link cufl buttons embodying an elongated coil spring,a spring extension limiting chain extending longitudinally therein andof greater length than said spring, and capping means for housing theends of said spring, the said elements providing means For coniointlyanchoring the complementary ends of said chain and said spring and theircapping members, with the extremities of said chain protruding throughand outwardly beyond said capping members, and the said spring beingformed of coils having a plurality of angularly bent arms providingapices which are disposed in stepped relation spirally of the springbody.

9. A shank unit for link cufl? buttons embody. an elon, ted coil sprincra spring extension limitino chain extending lon i tudinally therein ofgreater length than said spring, and capping members for housing theends of said spring, the said spring providing radial terminalsprojecting through the end links ot said chain, with the extremities ofsaid chain protruding through and outwardly beyond said capping members,and the said spring being formed of r coils having a plurality ofangularly bent arms providing apices which are disposed in steppedrelation spirally of the spring bod 10. in link cuff buttons, thecombination of a shank unit therefor embodying an eloning through saidend links inside of said gated coil spring, a spring extensionlimitcapping members, and button heads attached 10 ing chain extendinglongitudinally therein to said end links outside of said capping and ofgreater length than said spring, and members.

capping members for housing the ends of In testimony whereof, We afiixour signasaid spring, with the end links of said chain tures.

protruding outwardly thereof, the said VERN SLATER.

spring providing radial terminals project- GEORGE B. GUTHR-IE.

